Together we will go: a novel

Straczynski, the creator of the seminal sf television series, Babylon 5, and the author of a memoir, graphic novels, and a writing guide, dives into novel-writing with this provocative tale of 12 people who band together to take a cross-country road trip that will culminate with their collective suicide. This fatal journey is the brainchild of Mark Antonelli, a suicidal writer chafing under the thumb of his critical father. Mark buys an old tour bus and hires a formidable army vet to drive it from Florida to San Francisco, where Mark and those he picks up along the way will drive the bus over a cliff. Among the people who sign up for this final adventure are Karen, whose chronic pain makes her life unbearable; Vaughn, a widower who feels that he's squandered his life; Shanelle, the victim of vicious bullying over her weight; and Tyler, whose fatal heart condition has turned his skin blue. It turns out to be far from a grim trip as they all find much-needed kinship, celebrate their lives, and even run afoul of the law. The plot may make Straczynski's first novel controversial; certainly it's a conversation starter, and there's no denying that it is compulsively readable, replete with compelling characters, surprising twists, and heady themes.

A crew of strangers embark on a suicide mission in screenwriter Straczynski's disappointing debut. After failed novelist Mark Antonelli's latest rejection, he decides suicide is an ideal vehicle for creation and places an online ad inviting others to board a bus destined for a nosedive off a California cliff. Twelve struggling souls agree to join up and sign Mark's release form: each rider must "be serious about killing yourself... no tourists or last-minute backsies," and also agree to "upload to the WiFi hotspot on the bus, and periodically update it." While the reasons for choosing suicide vary, the characters are all one-dimensional. Karen is plagued by mysterious body pains; Tyler is a kind coder suffering from a fatal disease; Lisa is a hard-partying bipolar maniac; Vaughn is a geriatric 66-year-old filled with remorse; Shanelle is a young, overweight misfit. But rather than explore each character's tortuous decision, the narrative is propelled by a ridiculous chase as the folks on the bus evade authorities to accomplish their mission. Though Straczynski's odd conceit has the makings of black comedy, it mostly crashes and burns. (July)

*Starred Review* Straczynski, the creator of the seminal sf television series, Babylon 5, and the author of a memoir, graphic novels, and a writing guide, dives into novel-writing with this provocative tale of 12 people who band together to take a cross-country road trip that will culminate with their collective suicide. This fatal journey is the brainchild of Mark Antonelli, a suicidal writer chafing under the thumb of his critical father. Mark buys an old tour bus and hires a formidable army vet to drive it from Florida to San Francisco, where Mark and those he picks up along the way will drive the bus over a cliff. Among the people who sign up for this final adventure are Karen, whose chronic pain makes her life unbearable; Vaughn, a widower who feels that he's squandered his life; Shanelle, the victim of vicious bullying over her weight; and Tyler, whose fatal heart condition has turned his skin blue. It turns out to be far from a grim trip as they all find much-needed kinship, celebrate their lives, and even run afoul of the law. The plot may make Straczynski's first novel controversial; certainly it's a conversation starter, and there's no denying that it is compulsively readable, replete with compelling characters, surprising twists, and heady themes. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

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A crew of strangers embark on a suicide mission in screenwriter Straczynski's disappointing debut. After failed novelist Mark Antonelli's latest rejection, he decides suicide is an ideal vehicle for creation and places an online ad inviting others to board a bus destined for a nosedive off a California cliff. Twelve struggling souls agree to join up and sign Mark's release form: each rider must "be serious about killing yourself... no tourists or last-minute backsies," and also agree to "upload to the WiFi hotspot on the bus, and periodically update it." While the reasons for choosing suicide vary, the characters are all one-dimensional. Karen is plagued by mysterious body pains; Tyler is a kind coder suffering from a fatal disease; Lisa is a hard-partying bipolar maniac; Vaughn is a geriatric 66-year-old filled with remorse; Shanelle is a young, overweight misfit. But rather than explore each character's tortuous decision, the narrative is propelled by a ridiculous chase as the folks on the bus evade authorities to accomplish their mission. Though Straczynski's odd conceit has the makings of black comedy, it mostly crashes and burns. (July)